Fuel-feeding system



Oef. 9, 1928.

A. G. REDMOND FUEL FEEDING SYSTEM iled Oct. 20l 1925 Patented Ust. Q,IE6.

maar

.ALBERT G. REDMOND, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR T0 JACOB RICHARDFRANCIS, OF FLINT, MICHIGAN.

FUEL-FEEDING. SYSTEM.

Application led October 20, 1923. VSerial No. 669,669.

This invention relates to certain new and useful iinpioveiiients in fuelfeeding systems especially adapted to be used in connectionr with motorvehicles for feeding fuel from the low level tank to the charge formingdevice of the motor vehicle whereby a constant supply of fuel is pumpedfrom the low level fuel tank to the fuel bowl of the charge formingdevice.

Another and further object of the invention is t0 provide a fuel feedingsystem which is automatic in operation, the piston of the pumpcontrolling the elect-ric circuit so that the circuit is made and brokenby the movement of the piston. 4 v

Another and further object of the invention is to provide a fuel feedingsystem in which the fuel instead of being pumped to a supplementalreservoir disposed between the low level reservoir and the fuel bowl ofthe carbureter, is pumped direct from a low level reservoir to the fuelbowl of the cai'bureter, the construction of pump being such that thefuel is maintained under pressure in the fuel line pipe so th at whenthe level in the fuel bowl of the carburetor drops, the pressure isreleased' and fuel Hows into the fuel bowl and at the same time the pumpstarts to operate so as to replenish the fuel used by the charge formingdevice.

Another and further object of the invention is to provide a fuel feedingsystem in which the pump is enclosed in a receptacle to collect theleakage or overflow from the pump, means being provided for conveyingthis overflow toj the fuel bowl'of the charge forming device.

Another and further object of the invention is to provide an electricalpump which is entirely vautomatic in operation, the speed of the pumpbeing governed by the consumption of fuel used by the charge formingdevice.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will behereinafter set forth and the novel features thereof defined by theappended claims. l

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic View showing the embodiment of my inventionapplied to a motor vehicle; and I Figure 2 is a vertical section throughthe pump and receptacle showing in elevation the connection with thecharge forming device.

In the drawing 1 indicates a motor vehicle herein shown as the ordinarytype of autm mobile which is provided with an internal combustion engine2 having an intake manivfold 3 to which is connected a charge form-.fully described, from a low level fuel tank 9 which in practice isgenerally arranged at the rear of the motor vehicle as clearly shown.rlhe above description is given so that the operation of my improvedconstruction of fuel feeding system when applied to the ordinary type ofautomobile now in use can be readily understood.

Preferably disposed within the hood of the motor vehicle is a receptacle10 in which is disposed a pump barrel 11 provided with inlet port 12 inits bott-om controlled by an inlet valve 13.A The pump is provided withan outlet nipple 14 controlled by an -outlet valve, 15, said nippleextending through the wall of the receptacle 10 having a pipe 16connected thereto leadingT to the inlet of the fuel bowl of thechargeforming device.

As herein shown the bottom of the pump rests on the bottom of thereceptacle 10 and has connected thereto the fuel line pipe 17 whichextends rearwardly of the vehicle into the main fuel supply tank 9. Thenipple 14 is provided with an inlet 18 in communication with thereceptacle 10, said inlet being controlled by a check valve 19, whichallows fuel which accumulates within the receptacle to pass out throughthe inlet into the pipe 16 leading to the fuel bowl of the carbiireter.Iwhich prevents fuel from being drawn from the receptaclel 10 by thepump.

The upper end of the pump-barre1 11 is enlarged to receive a solenoidQ0. the core 21 of which is in the form of a piston working in the pumpbarrel so that when the solenoid is energized, the piston is raised andwhen deenergized, the pistondrops by its own weight so as to force thefuel from the pump barrel direct to the fuel bowl of the'charge formingdevice and the speed of travel of the piston is determined by theconsumption of fuel by the charge forming device.

The solenoid is arranged in electric circuit with a source of supply inthe form of a battei-y Q2 now generally in usc in automobiles and thecircuit is made and broken bythe movement of the pieton 2l of the pump,thecircuit being closed on the ful] length of the upgstroke of thepiston and being broken the full length of the down p of the link 33being connected to a rod 35y -as shown at 36.

stroke of the piston so that the piston is raised by the solenoid andallowed to drop by gravity in order that it willmaintain pressure on thefuel within the pump barrel luntil it has 3 reached its full downstroke, whereby the `circuit will be completed and the pump piston willbe raised and when it reaches its full up stroke, the circuit will bebroken and the piston drops by gravity.

Extending across ,the top of the receptacle 10 is a flexible diaphragm23 carrying a contact 24 connected to the solenoid by a wire 25, thesolenoid being grounded as shown at 26 and the battery being grounded asshown at 27; Arranged over the flexible diaphragm is a cover 28 whichcarries a fixes contact 29v vacuum tanks, I do not wish to limit myselfv to this particular construction, as I am aware that` various forms oflinkage can be used without depart-ing from the spirit of my invention.l

The particular (ions'truction` of linkage herein shown consists of apivoted lever 30 which is provided with a ball 31 at one end adapted toengage the under side of the dia-V phragm 23 so as to flex-.thediaphragm suflciently to force the movable contact y24 in engagementwith the fixed contact 29.

The lever 30 has connected to its otherv end a link 31 which in turn isconnected to a link 32 having a link 433 pivotally conlnected thereto,the links 32 and v33 being connected together by a spring 34, the freeend connected to the upper end of the piston 2l By this particularconstruction of linkage for lflexing the diaphragm in order to completethe electric circuit, as t-he link 33 moves upwardly `past the center,the link 32 trips up and stays up until't-he link 3 3 falls be-.

low the center, whereby the electric circuit is closed the fulll upstroke of the pistonand is broken the full down stroke of the piston.

The fuel that leaks past the piston in the operation of the pump iscollected by the receptacle 10 and I provide the lreceptacle 10 with anoverflow pipe 37 which extends to the fuel bowl 5 of the charge formindei vice 4 so that .any excess of fuel whic accumulates within thereceptacle l0 will flow by gravity to the fuel bowl of the chargeforming device and be consumed by the charge forming device as in the,ordinary manner, as so long as fuel is flowing through the pipe 37 tothe charge forming device, the pump will fail to operate. The valvecontrolled inlet 18 allows the fuel which also accumulates in thereceptacle 10 to flow through the pipe 16 into the fuel bowl of thecarburefer, but as previously stated prevents the pump from sucking fuelfrom the chamber l0. In the operation of a fuel feeding system,

as herein shown and. described, the fuel is maintains the fuel underpressure into the fuel bowl ofthe charge forming device, the floatconstruction of which is such that the inlet closes when the fuel levelreaches a predetermined level within the fuell bowl of thechargeiforming device so that it is impossible to flood the` carburetervas the piston remains in its descending position when the inlet valveof the float chamber of the carbureter closes and 'continues its descentwhen the valve opens to replenish the fuel.

l As the circuit is broken through the full length of the down stroke ofthe piston, the

lpiston by its own weight maintains the fuel under pressure and when thecircuit is again closed, and the piston reaches the bottom of the pumpchamber, the piston is, raised so as to suck fuel into the pump barrelor chamber from the low level fuel tank and when the piston reaches itsupward stroke, the circuit is brokenso asv to release the piston andallow it to drop b gravity and as the pump barrel is provided with theusual inlet and outlet checkvalves, the fuel feeding system continues tooperate in proportion to thel amount of gasoline used by the chargeforming device so that the full capacity of fuel is supplied to thecharge forming device at all times and under all conditions.

By having the outlet of the pump chamber provided with a valvecontrolled inlet 'in communication with the receptacle in which the pumpisf-disposed, if the carbureter leaks when the motor vehicle is idle,fuel will flow out of the receptacle through the inlet of the out-letnipple into the bowl of the carbureter so'that fuel will be maintainedin the carbureter at all times and under all conditions.

What I claim is 1. In a fuel feeding system for motor vehicles, thecombination with a main fuel supply tank, of aicarbureter located in aplane above said tank having a fuel bowl provided with a floatcontrolled inlet, a pump for pumping fuel direct from the said mainsupply tank to thefuel bowl of said carbureter, said pump comprising apump chamber and a piston movable therein formaintaining the fuel in thepipe line from said main fuel supply tank to said carbureter underpressure, a source4 of current, an electric circuit including a solenoidfor raising said piston, means actuated by said piston for making andbreaking said circuit, and a receptacle in which said pump is locatedhaving an overflow pipe leading to the fuel bowl of the carbureter.

2. In a fuel feeding system for motor vehicles, the combination of a'main fuel supply tank, of a carbureter located in a plane above saidtank, a receptacle located in a plane above said carburetor, a pumplocated in said receptacle, a pipe connecting said pump to the main fuelsupply, said pump being provided with a valve controlled outlet nipple,a pipe connecting said nipple to said carbureter, said nipple beingprovided with a vvalve controlled inlet in communication with said re-`ceptacle and means for operating said pump.

3. In a fuel feeding device for motor vehicles, the combination with amain fuel supply tank, of a carbureter loi-ated in a plane above saidtank having a fuel bowl provided with a valve controlled inlet, areceptacle located in a plane above said carbureter, a pump mountedwithin said receptacle comprising a pump cylinder and a piston movab'lymounted therein, a pipe line leading from the outlet of said pump to thebowl of said carbureter, said pipe line having a valve controlled inletin communication with said receptacle, a pipe leading from the inlet ofsaid pump to the main fuel supply tank, a source of current, an electriccircuit including a solenoid for actuating said piston, an overflow pipeextending from said receptacle to the'y bowl of said carbureter andmeans actuated by the movement of said piston for intermittently makingand breaking said circuit for pumping fuel from the main fuel supplytank direct to the bowl of the carbureter.

4. Ina fuel feeding system for motor vehicles, the combination with areceptacle located in a plane above .the charge forming device of thevehicle, of a tank located in a plane below the carbureter of saidvehicle,

an electric pump mounted within said receptacle having a pipe incommunication with the main fuel supply tank and an outlet )ipe incommunication with the fuel bowl o the carbureter,l an overflow pipeleading from said receptacle to the bowl of the carbureter, a source ofcurrent, an electric circuit including a solenoid for actuating thepiston of said pump and means actuated by the movement of the piston ofthe pump for mak ing and breaking said circuit.

5. In a fuel feeding system for motor vehicles, the combination with acarbureter of a vehicle, of a main fuel supply tank located in a planebelow said carbureter, a receptacle mounted in a plane above saidcarbureter, an electric pump arranged in said receptacle having a supplypipe leading from the main fuel supply tank and a delivery pipe leadingto the carbureter, said pump comprising a pump chamber and a pistonmovably mounted therein, a source of current, and electric circuitincluding a solenoid for actuating said piston, a flexible diaphragmarranged over said receptacle, a fixed contact arranged above saiddiaphragm, a contact carried by said diaphragm, a linkage arrangedwithin said receptacle having a connection with the piston of said pumpfor flexing said diaphragm for opening and closing the circuit forvinterinittently energizing and de-energizing said solenoid for raisingsaid pistonwithin the pump cylinder.

G. An electric pump for fuel feeding systems for motor vehicles,enclosed in a receptacle and having the delivery port thereof incommunication with said receptacle and provided with an overflow fordelivering fuel to the carbureter of the motor vehicle, a source yofcurrent, an electric circuit including a solenoid for actuating thepiston of the pump, a fixed contact and a movable contact opening andclosing the circuit and a linkage actuated by the piston of the pump formoving said movable contact.

7. A fuel feeding system for motor vehicles comprising a low level tank,a carbureter, an electric pump for feeding fuel directly from said lowlevel tank to said carbureter, a receptacle in which said pump isarranged and an overflow pipe leading from said receptacle to the bowlof the carbureter.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature. v

ALBERT G. REDMOND.

